Mystechni
Oikodomoi pride themselves on their ability to shape their physical forms, and with practice, the forms of others. They do this using a Discipline believed to come from Antigonus himself – Mystechni, the ability to craft muscle and bone into a work of art. Mystechnis (those who practice this art) are often feared for their unpredictability and their potential to do irreparable damage to their enemies (and subjects), although victims are often surprised to find that most uses of the power last for a few minutes at most (leaving mortals confused and questioning their sanity). All affects last for one scene unless otherwise stated, but can be made “permanent” with the expenditure of a permanent Willpower dot (unless undone by a crafter with the appropriate level of Mystechni). Mystechnis • False Face While learning to master his own flesh, a Mystechnis can shape his own visage, blending into crowds or sneaking into enemy territory while disguised. These changes are usually minor – enlarging a nose, smoothing back hair, even altering skin tone – but major changes like sex, height (more than a few inches), volume (more than 20 lbs. in apparent weight) cannot yet be accomplished. Cost: 1 Vitae per scene the face is intended to last. Dice Pool: Manipulation + Crafts + Mystechni Action: Extended (Each turn equals a minute, an average of five successes are needed to change a face, with more required to make drastic alterations to skin color, hair type or body volume). Roll Results Dramatic Failure: You really screwed up your face and are horrific to anyone you encounter. For the remainder of the scene, any dice pool with Presence or Manipulation Attributes is affected by 1's, which subtract from any successes earned. Failure: It didn't work. Success: It worked. Any attempts to see through the disguise with mundane means must earn more successes than the caster (meaning it requires an exceptional roll). This does not affect supernatural detection. Adding to beauty gains +1 in Presence rolls, taking away from it adds +1 in Manipulation rolls in which Intimidation is a factor. Exceptional Success: No mundane attempts can see through this ruse. Suggested Modifiers - 3: trying to change height by more than three inches (with an additional -3 for each inch thereafter) - 1: Changing skin color or hair type. +1: Having a mirror. •• Body of Water Mastering the flesh allows the Mystechnis to elude is pursuers with inhuman capability. Without even touching it, flesh and sinew slide underneath the vampire’s skin to avoid physical attacks (sometimes opening holes in the body to let projectiles pass through) or escape from restraints. Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: No roll required. Action: Instant and reflexive. Sensing an incoming attack, or hoping to escape from restraint, a Mystechnis can will his flesh to move away from the desired area temporarily (adding +3 to Defense or an escape attempt for one turn). The visual effect of this power is quite disturbing, but it happens so quickly most mortals try to convince themselves their eyes were playing tricks on them. ••• Shaping Clay Just as the gods made clay into man, Mystechnis can make man into clay. At this level, a Mystechnis has near total control over his own body. Changing gender, shifting weight to achieve perfect balance, adding more weight to a fist (for +1 to bashing attacks) or hardening flesh in a specific area to add +1 to armor. Bones can be reshaped and positioned to add up to a foot in height with no penalties, create hoofed feet, or simply turn fingers into claws or an arm into a sword. Changes can only affect existing body mass however, overextending oneself can be disastrous (and add negatives to additional actions even if successful, at Storyteller discretion). Cost: 2 Vitae (or more, depending on the extent of alterations) Dice Pool: Intelligence + Medicine + Mystechni Action: Extended (Five successes are required for each changed part). Roll Results Dramatic Failure: You screwed yourself over. For the remainder of the scene you have -3 to any Dexterity or Presence based roll. Failure: It still doesn't work. Success: It was successful and will remain so for the scene. Exceptional Success: Even extreme changes can be used without additional penalties and add +1 to any attack roll. Suggested Modifiers - 3 Trying to change more than 10 percent of your body mass (with an additional -3 for each additional 10 percent). - 3 Trying to change more bones than the equivalent of 10 fingers (with an additional -3 for each additional amount). - 2 Not having much flesh to begin with (you're Paris Hilton skinny) + 1 Performing the same alteration a second time. + 2 Medical knowledge in the area to be altered. Suggested Uses (each requires five successes) Big fist: Shifting weight to knuckles adds +1 to bashing. 10 Claws: Made from fingers or toes, each attack does +1 lethal damage. Horns: If limited to only 2 on the head, does a combined damage of +2 lethal, but this damage is lessoned if additional horns or points are created at the same time. Prehensile Tail: Useful for grabbing things but does not add an extra turn. Extra limb: Arms or legs may seem useful, but the muscle-mass required to create a full working limb would severely weaken the rest of the body. Wings: Good for show, but non-functional. Sword: Replaces an entire arm from the elbow, but does +2 lethal damage. Callous Armor: Adds +1 Armor to the whole body, or +2 to a specific location. •••• Pound of Flesh The Mystechnis is now skilled enough to turn his horrible art on others. Any of the simpler forms of Mystechni can be used on another, but even if the subject is voluntary, it hurts and causes Bashing damage equal to 5 minus successes. If used to purposefully cause damage, it causes Lethal damage equal to any successes earned beyond those required for the craft, aside from any additional penalties caused by the victim's new form. This can also be used to add the flesh of another living creature to that of the Mystechnis himself. This is useful in making larger alterations to his own body, but fall off once the effect fades (unless made permanent). Victims to do not normally recover from the damage this causes (not by mundane means anyway). Use of this power requires a Humanity roll (six dice if voluntary, three if unvoluntary). Cost: 1 Vitae in addition to normal costs. Dice Pool: (required dice pool) vs. Stamina + Blood Potency (unless the victim is Willing). Action: Extended and Contested. Add two to any required successes by the craft. The first to reach the desired total wins. Roll Results Victim Wins: Crafter receives two points of lethal damage and victim a point of bashing. Tie: Nothing happens, but both parties receive a point of bashing damage. Crafter Wins: It works, you sick freak. The subject (willing or not) automatically takes a point of Lethal Damage which lasts even after the effect wears off. Suggested Modifiers - 3 Victim is unrestrained - 2 The crafter is already under the effects of Mystechni (unless shaped for the purposes of surgery) - 1 The victim is a living supernatural creature. - 1 The victim is restrained, but resists. + 1 The subject is willing. + 1 The subject is undead. + 2 The crafter is already under the effects of Mystechni specifically for the purposes of surgery. ••••• Vicious Form The Mystechnis becomes a literal monster of his own design. This form adds +2 to Armor, Speed, Strength, and causes Aggravated damage from one source (hand claws or feet claws or horns or back spikes, etc., but other sources of bladed damage cause lethal). Mortals witnessing this form must roll Willpower to resist fleeing in terror, but they will remember the incident as well as they would any other traumatic experience, risking the masquerade. Cost: 3 Vitae. Dice Pool: No roll necessary, but the change takes at least two full turns (the first adds +1 to Armor, the second completes the transformation). Other actions can be taken during those turns, but no other Discipline uses. Action: Instant (after two full turns)